Dial M for missed opportunity

The Productivity Commission’s latest report on Australia’s economy-wide productivity performance, will hearten those who want governments to play the policy-leadership role that Coalition MPs often seem uncomfortable with. In its discussion of healthcare, the report provides grounds both for optimism and for cynicism — optimism that overdue reforms might this time eventuate, and cynicism fuelled by the knowledge that ideology and ineptitude could leave yet another set of useful proposals languishing.